Method of delivering fluid to a vessel containing variable pressures.



M. P. MILLER.

METHOD OF DELIVERING FLUID TO A VESSEL CONTAINING VARIABLE PRESSURES.APPLICATION FILED APR-29, 1914.

LM5BGW Patented July 6, 1915.

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MAX PAUL MILLER, 01 GOLLING-SWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO 'W'ARRENWEBSTER & COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF DELIVERING FLUID TO A VESSEL CONTAINING VARIABLE PRESSURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Original application filed December 8, 1910, Serial No. 596,198. Dividedand this application filed April 29,

a low pressure steam heating system with automatic means for returningthe water of condensation into the boiler irrespective of any excessivepressures which may abnormally exist from any cause.

More particularly my object is to provide a gravity system of steamheating with auxiliary power means for forcing the water of condensationfrom the returns into the boiler whenever the pressure in the boilerincreases abnormally to such extent that the normal possible static headof water in the returns will not be sufiicient to return the wateragainst said abnormal boiler pressure, the said power means being putinto action under the control of the static head, whereby the lowpressure operates economically under normal conditions without the useof power means for returning the water to the boiler and at the sametime operates automatically to insure the return'of the water to theboiler under abnormal conditions.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 596,198,filed December 8, 1910, on which Patent No. 1,098,676, was granted June2, 191 1, and relates to the method set out and described therein.

While my object is, more particularly, to provide a method of returningthe water of condensation of a steam heating system to the boiler in anautomatic manner and under the general conditions above stated,nevertheless, my invention more broadly considered, comprises a methodfor supplying fluid to a boiler or closed vessel from any source,wherein "under normal conditions gravity may be the power which acts todeliver the fiuid to the boiler or vessel against the pressure thereinwhile at other times gravity is assisted by mechanical means to providea sufficiently great pressure to insure the delivery of the fluid intothe boiler or vessel against a higher pressure than is Serial No.835,122.

normally employed, and which may at times exist therein. 1

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in connection with the description hereinafter contained.

In the drawings is shown, diagrammatically, an elevation of a steamheating system embodying my invention.

2 is a boiler and supplies steam to the radiators by a steam supply main3 and branch pipes leading therefrom. a

6 is one of'the radiators, 5is the branch steam pipe and 7 is themodulation or con trol valve.

4; is a main valve in the steam main, 9 is the return main and 8 thebranch return leading from the radiator and discharging into the returnmain.

10 is a return trap in the branch return for permitting the passage ofwater and air from the radiator into the branch return pipe whilepreventing or restricting the escape of steam, and this device mayconform to any of such devices now upon the market and of which thereare numerous types better known as thethermostatic, float and motortypes. Instead of such automatic traps, static valves may be employed aswill be understood by those skilled in the art. The return main 9 andall others of a similar nature may discharge into a receiver 11 wherethe condensation water may be collected and passed by pipes 12 and 13into the boiler 2 by gravity. The receiver 11 is located at a distanceabove the normal water level in the boiler and is provided with an airvent 28' and with a float 26 which rocks a shaft 25 to which is securedan arm 24 point between the discharge pipe 18 and'suo tion pipe 17. Thepump is driven by a motor 19 which by wayof illustration is shown as anelectric motor. The current to this motor is supplied by circuits 20 and22 and is. controlled by a switch 21 of any suitable.

construction. This switch is controlled by a chain 23 connecting withthe arm 24 actuated by the float 26 of the receiving tank.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described :Assuming thatanormal low pressure, for example one-half to one pound, be in the steamboiler, the steam will be supplied under the control of the valve 7 tothe radiators. The water of condensation produced in theradiators isreturned to the boiler by the return pipe 9, receiver 11, return pipe 12and pipe 13, and in passing from the pipe 12 to the pipe 18, it ispassed through a check valve 14. The static head in the pipe 12 insuresthe return of the tion to flow to pipe 13 but prevent flow of water fromthe pipe 13 upward through said drip pipe 15. So long as the lowpressure is maintained in the boiler the water from the returns willreturn automatically by gravity.

If now, from any cause the boiler pressure suddenly rises to such adegree that the normal static head will not be suflicient to return thewater from the returns, the motor 19 is automatically put into operationby th s increased pressure in the boiler exerted through the watercolumn or static head and float and the pump 16 is then employed topositively force the water into the boiler. This action doesnot occuruntil the water rises in the pipe 12 and within the receiver 11sufficiently to operate the float 26 to actuate the switch 21 andthereby sup ply current to the motor 19. The check valve 14 prevents thepump being short circuited between its suction and discharge pipes. Inthis way, the pump positively delivers the water into the boiler againstthe abnormal boiler pressure and continues to do so, so long as thewater of condensation is made to actuate the float. The pump should havea check valve which when the motor is at rest will not permit back flowof inconvenience from defective steam heating.

I have shown the pump operated by an electric motor because it is asimple and ef fective application, the current is usually supplied fromthe street main and hence requires no attention from the janitor, but Ido not restrict myself to the use of an electric motor as any other typeof motor, such as steam, gas, water, etc., may be used if so desired. Itis also to be understood that the controller 21 would be made of asuitable construction to suit the form of motor employed, but in anycase, the controller would be operated under the control of the waterlevel in the receiver.

The foregoing description has been made in respect to a specificapplication of my invention as applied to steam heating systems, but itis to be understood that the boiler 2 may be considered as anyreceptacle in which a fluid is required to exist under pressure, thefluid therefor being received from any suitable source and supplied tothe vessel by the force of gravity produced by the static head in thepipe 12 and tank 11, the static head being suflicient to overcome thenormal pressure in the vessel, and in which, further, in case of anincreased pressure in the vessel which would Having now described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Let- 1' tersPatent is 1. The herein described method of sup plying a low pressuresteam boiler with water which consists in supplying at times of normalcondition of steam pressure water to the boiler by gravity and at timesof abnormal steam pressure automatically delivering the water to theboiler by mechanical means, supporting a static head of water by theabnormal pressures which may exist in the boiler, and controlling theoperation of i the mechanical means by the variations in the static headof the water, whereby under normal conditions of pressure, the water issupplied to the boiler by gravity and under abnormal conditions ofpressure therein, the water is automatically mechanically supplied tothe boiler against the boiler pressure so long as the said abnormalconditions may exist.

2. The herein described method of supplying a low pressure steam boilerwith water which consists in supplying at times of normal conditions ofsteam pressure water to the boiler by gravity, and at times of ab- 1"normal steam pressure automatically delivering the Water to the boilerby mechanical means operating against the pressure of the boiler andcontrolled as to time of operation by the abnormal pressure therein.

3. The herein described method of supplying a fluid to a closed vesselcontaining a pressure, Which consists in delivering the fluid theretounder a static head at times of normal pressure in the vessel, and attimes of abnormal or increased pressure Within the vessel delivering thefluid thereinto by mechanical means, and controlling the time ofoperation of said mechanical means by the variations in pressure Withinthe vessel.

4. The herein described method of supplying a fluid to a closed vesselcontaining a pressure, Which consists in delivering the fluid theretounder a static head at times of normal pressure in the vessel, and attimes of abnormal or increased pressure Within the vessel delivering thefluid thereinto by mechanical means, and controlling the time ofoperation of said mechanical means by variations in the static head.

In testimony of Which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

MAX PAUL MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissionen of Patents, Washington, D. G.

